In my Father's Shadow by CMankiewicz
by PrettyinPinkNikki21
Summary: Finding Love is Never easy except when it happens to a Beverly Hills Princess
1. Stephanie's Beginning

Stephanie Barrington-Edwards was a bright, ambitious up-and-coming journalist. She was born in Bel-Air, CA. and, as the only child of Steven and Suzanne (Barrington) Edwards, was the apple of her parents eyes. Her father was a very famous Hollywood producer/director who was always away on movie locations during much of Stephanie's childhood. Stephanie knew from an early age that her father was a very important and powerful man. She loved her father, and always missed him when he was away. As much as she loved her father, she grew to loathe the movie industry. After all, in her eyes it was the movie industry that kept him away from her, Seeing as her dad had become so distant in her life, she had developed a very close mother-daughter bond with her mom. Suzanne adored her daughter, and together they would have tea parties, do each others hair, and spend a great deal of time in the pool. The time Stephanie enjoyed most with her mom was with books. Suzanne loved to read, and passed on her love of books to her daughter.

Suzanne was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and passed away when Stephanie was 14 years old. Stephanie was devastated...Her mother was her world, and now, so suddenly, she was gone. Soon after the funeral of her mother, her father had arranged for her to go to a private girls boarding school in London. She was his only child, but he was now a stranger to her...not to mention Steven hadn't the first clue about raising a teenage girl. after a period of adjustment, and away from the glitz and glamour of the movie industry, Stephanie thrived.

Stephanie had kept journals most of her life, and found she had a natural ability to express herself, putting pen to paper...Her hard work paid off when, after graduating from school with a Masters Degree in Journalism, and getting her first Journalism assignments under her belt, she was hired by a prominent and well-established Newspaper in New York City. Years earlier Stephanie had decided to legally drop the Edwards from her name, and go by the name Stephanie Barrington (her mother's maiden name). She wanted to succeed on her own merits, not because she was Steven Edwards the years she had remained close, and kept in contact with a dear friend of her parents. He was like an uncle to her as she was growing up. "Uncle Don' was in the movie industry as well, he had worked with her father many times over the course of his illustrious career.

When Stephanie shared the good news of her London assignment with her 'Uncle Don', he invited her to stay at his home. He told her he'd be away on location for a couple of months, she could have use of the house, and house-sit at the same time.

Stephanie agreed to stay at the London house, and then learned that he had arranged for another friend of his to stay in the guest house. They wouldn't have to see each other...Stephanie was fine with that arrangement. he packed her bags, and left her cozy loft apartment to come and stay at 'uncle Don's' estate in London.

She arrived safely, got settled in and got started on her new assignment.

...Then she unexpectedly meets her 'Uncle's' friend who is staying in the guesthouse.


	2. Meeting RJ Hart

(ON THE TELEPHONE WITH HER FATHER) " I see that your latest movie is already at number. You never fail, do you, dad?" " I try not to, Steph. I like the sweet smell of success better". He didn't need to remind her of that...he'd been like that as far back as she could remember.

"It's getting late here dad, and I have to work early in the morning, so I have to say good bye O.K, Take care." Her father said goodbye to her and they hung up the phone.

Stephanie still often wondered what her life would have been like growing up among 'normal' people, like doctors, teachers and mailmen. She hadn't had many friends like that growing up in Hollywood. The parents of most of her friends were famous. They were either producers, directors, actors or studio crew members,and many of the kids she went to school with now worked in the industry too.

After hanging up from her father, she recalled their previous telephone conversation. He was always going on about his success, and belittling hers. His words still echoed in her memory..."Steph, you'll look a little foolish writing about other peoples lives when you're 40 years old...You're not married, you don't have children. You can't just fill time for the restof your life". "Maybe I will marry, and have kids some day. In the meantime, I'm making a decent living as a journalist. I'm really very happy here. I'd be miserable in the dog-eat-dog life of Hollywood".

Talking to her dad always depressed her. He always left her feeling like she didn't measure up, and never would, In her cozy loft apartment in New York City, she lived on salads, and bought fresh fruits and vegetables at the market on the corner. She hadn't had time to go to the market.

In the 2 days she had been at 'Uncle Don's' house, and his high-tech kitchen intimidated her. It was easier to order out, so she did. She decided on Chinese food, and when her order arrived, she took it upstairs to 'her' bedroom. Her little dog, Freeway, followed her upstairs, and made himself comfortable on the bed, Stephanie got into her cozy PJ's, and curled up on the bed to watch a documentary about animal conservation in Kenya.

When her documentary was over, she realized that someone had sent a text message to her cell phone. It was from her 'Uncle Don', and it read: "My friend RJ hiding from psychotic ex-girlfriend will probably show up tomorrow or Sunday to stay for a few weeks, he knows where to find hidden key, and knows alarm code. Thanks. Love, 'Uncle Don'." Stephanie couldn't recall meeting a friend of his called RJ, and wondered if RJ was someone he knew from Hollywood.

She thought RJ sounded more exotic than most of 'uncle Don's' friends. Most were intelligent and creative, but generally a boring group of middle-aged men in long-term relationships and not prone to having 'psychotic ex-girlfriend's.

Seeing that the 'hiding' RJ had the alarm code, and knew where the key was hidden she turned off the TV and the lights and went to sleep.

She woke up around 10 a.m., stretched, and then let Freeway out in the garden, groping the door opened so her tiny companion could get back in. Walking to the kitchen she was trying to decide what to have for breakfast...the Chinese take-out left-overs from last night, or frozen waffles she found in the freezer. She had mistakenly left the chinese-food on the counter, so she settled for waffles. When she took them out of the microwave, she realized that Freeway was happily eating the Chinese food. "Freeway, you are a little piggy", she said. He sat at her feet, hoping

She would share her waffles with him. 'What? Chinese food wasn't enough? You're going to make yourself sick. She finished her breakfast, and walked back to put the syrup away. Some of it had dripped down the side. The smell of it was too much for Freeway. He jumped at her legs, and knocked the bottle from her hands. In a second, Freeway was right in the middle of it, trying to lick it up. She was determined to keep him away from it, and as she was gently tugging on his collar to get him out of it, but her socks slipped in the syrup, and he knocked her down. She couldn't help but laugh at her furry friend, as he barked and she struggled to get back up on her feet. As she stood up she realized there was a man in the room watching them. In the commotion over the syrup, neither of them had noticed him, Freeway barked even louder when he saw him, and the man took a few steps back.

"What are you doing here?" Stephanie asked angrily, as she sized him up. He was wearing jeans, a black turtleneck, and a black leather jacket, and he didn't look like a burglar...but she had no idea how he got in.

"Did you have some sort of food fight?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye. "I'm sorry I missed it. I love that sort of thing. I believe I'm meant to be a houseguest here for a few weeks." He held up the key to show her that he had entered the house honorably. This couldn't be. Her 'uncle' told her that an RJ would be staying in the guesthouse, but never mentioned RJ's last name...Suddenly it all registered, the dark hair, the piercing blue eyes. As she looked at him, she nearly screamed...It couldn't be. This was impossible. She was having a nightmare. She knew who he was.

She had watched one of his movies only 2 days ago."Oh no...Oh my God...it can't be you." It all fit together now. RJ...RJ Hart, the world- famous American heartthrob and movie star. How could her 'uncle' not warn her who he was? How could he allow him to be here with her?

Standing in front of her was a prime example of everything she left behind. He was a picture postcard of everything that she loathed. "Yes, it's really me, I'm RJ Hart."...She was speechless.


	3. keeping a safe distance

STEPHANIE KNEW EXACTLY WHO HE WAS...SHE WAS 8 YEARS OLD TO HIS 21 YEARS THE FIRST TIME SHE LAID EYES ON HIM. HE HAD WORKED WITH BOTH HER FATHER AND HER 'UNCLE DON ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASSION. IT SOON BECAME OBVIOUS TO HER THAT HE DIDN'T REMEMBER HER, THEN SHE QUIETLY REMINDED HERSELF THAT SHE WAS GOING SIMPLY BY THE NAME STEPHANIE BARRINGTON, AND THAT WITHOUT THE EDWARDS ON THE END, HER NAME WOULDN'T RING ANY BELLS FOR HIM. HE HAD NO IDEA WHO SHE WAS, OTHER THAN BEING A CLOSE FRIEND OF DON'S.

SHE SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT SHE HAD TO CLEAN THE SYRUP UP OFF THE FLOOR. SHE THOUGHT SHE SURELY LOOKED VERY SILLY STANDING IN A PUDDLE OF MAPLE SYRUP. SHE TURNED HER ATTENTION AWAY FROM HIM SUDDENLY, AND HE LEFT HER TO CLEAN UP.

HE WENT TO THE GUEST HOUSE TO GET SETTLED, BUT COULDN'T HELP WONDERING ABOUT THE BEAUTIFUL WOMAN HE HAD JUST ENCOUNTERED. THEY EACH WENT ABOUT THEIR DAY. AROUND DINNERTIME, RJ CAME BACK TO THE MAIN HOUSE TO FIX HIMSELF SOMETHING TO EAT. DON HAD TOLD HIM THE KITCHEN WOULD BE STOCKED FOR HIM, BUT IT OBVIOUSLY SLIPPED HIS MIND. THINKING STEPHANIE WOULD BE WORKING, HE RETURNED TO FIX HIMSELF A BITE TO EAT. HE WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND HER IN THE KITCHEN MAKING HERSELF DINNER. SHE WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT HE HAD ENTERED UNANNOUNCED.

"UNCLE DON TOLD ME THAT YOU WOULD BE STAYING IN THE GUESTHOUSE...WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"SHE ASKED, SOUNDING QUITE ANNOYED THAT HE WAS BACK AGAIN.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO DISTURB YOU, I THOUGHT YOU'D BE OUT, AND I WAS GOING TO GRAB A BITE. DON TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE A STOCKED KITCHEN, BUT I GUESS HE GOT BUSY. I'LL LEAVE...I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO INTRUDE.

RJ SEEMED VERY PLEASANT, AND POLITE. SEEING AS SHE WAS MAKING A SALAD, SHE OFFERED TO MAKE ENOUGH FOR HIM TOO. HE ACCEPTED HER INVITATION TO JOIN HER FOR SUPPER. SHE MADE THE SALAD, AND RJ MADE PASTA, AND THEY SAT AND HAD DINNER TOGETHER.

TALKING TO RJ SEEMED VERY EASY. THEIR CONVERSATION JUST FLOWED...STEPHANIE KEPT REMINDING HERSELF NOT TO BE TOO FRIENDLY, AFTER ALL...HE WAS AN ACTOR, AND TO THIS POINT SHE HADN'T MET AN ACTOR WHO HADN'T SEEN HER AS THE SHORTEST ROUTE TO HER FAMOUS FATHER.

WHAT STEPHANIE DIDN'T REALIZE WAS THAT RJ HADN'T CONNECTED THE TWO. ALL THESE YEARS LATER HE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE HER, AND WOULD HAVE NO CLUED THAT SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF THE FAMOUS STEVEN EDWARDS.

HOW WOULD HE KNOW...HE KNEW HER ONLY AS STEPHANIE BARRINGTON, A FRIEND OF HIS FRIEND DON?

OVER DINNER SHE LEARNED THAT RJ HAD STARTED FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS. HIS FATHER WAS A POSTMAN, AND HIS MOTHER WAS A SCHOOL TEACHER. SHE ENVIED HIS EARLY YEARS. HE WAS VERY CLOSE TO HIS FAMILY...THAT IS, UNTILL HE TOLD THEM THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO PERSUE A 'NORMAL' CAREER. HE LEFT DETROIT FOR THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF HOLLYWOOD WHEN HE WAS 18 YEARS OLD...MUCH TO HIS PARENTS DISMAY...THEY WERE NO LONGER CLOSE.

STEPHANIE COULD RELATE TO HIS STORY...ALTHOUGH BEING VERY GUARDED SHE TOLD HIM THAT SHE TOO PERSUED A CAREER THAT HAD DISAPPOINTED HER DINNER THEY CLEARED AND WASHED THE DISHES TOGETHER. SHE WASHED, AND HE DREID. SHE TRIED TO REACH A HIGHER SHELF TO PUT THE PASTA DISH AWAY. SHE WASN'T QUITE TALL ENOUGH TO REACH THE SHELF, AND SUDDENLY FELT THE WARMTH OF HIS BODY BEHIND HER HAS AS HE LEANED .HE LEANED INTO HER CORNERING HER BETWEEN HIM AND THE COUNTER. HE REACHED UP AND PUT THE DISH AWAY. BEING SO CLOSE TO HER, HE WAS STIRRED BY THE SOFT TOUCH OF HER SKIN, THE SMELL OF HER HAIR.

SHE TOO WAS STIRRED. SHE TURNED AROUND, AND COULDN'T TEAR HER EYES AWAY FROM HIS...HE HAD THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES SHE HAD EVER SEEN, AND COULDN'T HELP BUT FEEL HIS MUSCULAR CHEST AGAINST HER. HE WAS OVERPOWERED BY THE SUDDEN URGE TO TAKE HER IN HIS STRONG ARMS, AND KISS HER.

HE TOOK HER SOFT FACE IN HIS HANDS, CARRESSED HER CHEEK, AND MOVED IN TO HER TO GIVE HER A KISS.

HER FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO PULL AWAY. AS HE KISSED HER, SHE FOUND THAT SHE WAS HUNGRILY RESPONDING TO HIS WARM LIPS PRESSED AGAINST HERS...AND TO THE STIRRING OF THEIR BODIES...SHE WAS AS UNABLE TO PULL AWAY FROM HIM AS HE WAS FROM HER...


End file.
